THE ISSUE 113 SPRING 2018 LOWELL OBSERVER THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF LOWELL OBSERVATORY HOME OF PLUTO Dr. Jennifer Hanley in the Astrophysical Materials Laboratory at Northern Arizona University. IN THIS ISSUE 2 Director’s Update 2 Trustee’s Update Meet Jennifer Hanley 4 All Systems GODO! By Jennifer Hanley, Astronomer *Effective January 1, Jennifer Hanley conditions. I’m currently working on a and Michael Mommert accepted tenure-track grant funded by NASA to map chlorine astronomer positions at Lowell. To introduce salts on the surface of Mars using spectra themselves to you, each of them has contributed acquired from the Mars Reconnaissance an article to this edition of The Lowell Orbiter. Observer. Michael’s story is on page 3. While a graduate student I interned at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) My research interests span across the in Pasadena, California. My project was 5 GODO Funding Opportunities solar system, focusing on the stability to measure spectra of chlorine salts at 6 The Man Who Saved the Universe of liquids on Mars, Titan and Europa. low temperatures and see if they were Before accepting this position, I had 7 Eicher Joins Advisory Board present on Jupiter’s moon Europa. This been working at Lowell with Drs. Will started my interest in the outer solar Grundy and Henry Roe since fall 2015 as a system. Since then I have continued my postdoctoral researcher on a grant from the research into the composition of Europa, John and Maureen Hendricks Charitable observing the moon with NASA’s Foundation. Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) and I earned a B.A. from Cornell University Lowell’s Discovery Channel Telescope. I in 2006 in Science of Earth Systems and also participated in the Planetary Science then lived in New Zealand for a year Summer School, which is a one week before returning to my passion, planetary science. I received my Ph.D. from the continued on page 4 University of Arkansas in Space and 8 Employee & Team of the Year Planetary Sciences in 2013. My dissertation was titled “On chlorine salts: Their 8 Putnam Receives Honorary Degree detection, stability and implications for Meet 9 Highlights of AAS water on Mars and Europa”. I measured Michael Mommert evaporation rates of salt solutions under 10 Schleicher Receives NASA Grant Martian surface conditions, modeled the interactions between water and various See page 3 for more! 11 Annual Fund Supports Collections salts, and acquired reflectance spectra of 12 Upcoming Events chlorine salts under Martian and Europan THE ISSUE 113 SPRING 2018 corporations, and foundations read about the Giovale Open nationwide. Deck Observatory, which This interest, we are should be ready for use by next learning, is widespread, and spring. This is the beginning there just isn’t enough time for of an exciting new era here our staff to hit the road and at Lowell, where we will be talk with everyone who wants establishing ourselves as the to learn more about Lowell. We premier astronomy destination DIRECTOR’S UPDATE do as much as we can, but like TRUSTEE’S UPDATE in the Americas, if not in the world. There will undoubtedly By Jeffrey Hall most non-profits, we run lean By W. Lowell Putnam be a few challenges along the and mean; and there are, as I I’m writing this note on a As I write this column I am way, but the support from the like to remind everyone, only hot, cloudless June afternoon looking out the window from community, the staff here on 36 hours in a day. We are most a few days before the solstice. the trustees residence at the Mars Hill, and the friends of grateful to the time and energy Just over a week ago, we major earth-moving equipment Lowell will carry the day, I am our Board puts in to helping wrapped up the annual meeting that is redoing the access sure. As the Chinese expression of our Advisory Board. The spread the word. roads in preparation for a new goes “we are living in Board has grown, since its But everyone who gets the water tank. This represents interesting times, but these also inception nearly 30 years Observer can do so as well. Pass the very beginning steps of present us with opportunities ago, into a broad group of your issue along to a friend, the new Mars Hill campus. to do better”. Your support individuals from many different or, if you’ve visited here, let Elsewhere in this issue you will helps make that happen. backgrounds. I’m pleased that some folks know about our cool outreach programs and all Astronomy magazine editor Receive Your Observer Digitally Dave Eicher has recently joined the science being done at the the Board (see p. 7) as well DCT. We repeatedly hear that as New Horizons Principal the growing word of mouth As membership has grown at Lowell Observatory, so Investigator Alan Stern (see p. about the exciting present and has the cost of production of our quarterly publication 11). In addition to its original even more exciting future on The Lowell Observer, adding up to thousands of role of providing guidance to Mars Hill is a major driver of dollars and hundreds of trees. In an effort to be the Trustee, the Board plays our growing visitor attendance, economically and environmentally friendly, we invite a crucial role today in getting philanthropic support, and you to elect to receive your copy of the Observer the word out about Lowell ongoing success. As always, digitally. If this interests you, email Shannon Gonzales Observatory and connecting thank you for your continued at [email protected]. us to interested individuals, interest and help! MIT Field Camp Returns to Lowell This January I got the opportunity to attend the 31st-ish MIT Astronomy Field Camp at Lowell Observatory alongside fellow students Abbie Burrus (Wellesley College 2019), Tomás Cabrera (MIT 2019), Michaye Ledford (MIT 2020), Kishore Patra (MIT 2018), and Karisa Zdanky (Wellesley 2019). During my three weeks in Flagstaff, I worked alongside Dr. Maggie McAdam to build a prototype planetary surface-simulating mineral spectroscopy lab for the Northern Arizona University (NAU) Physics and Astronomy Department. When I wasn’t working, I attended colloquia and weekly science discussions at Lowell and NAU, toured local telescope facilities like Lowell’s DCT and NPOI, and hiked in Northern Arizona’s geological and historical wonders like the Grand Canyon and Wupatki National Monument, as well as cooked dinners and talked with local astronomers. I was very busy, but I had a lot of fun and learned so much about From left, Professor Amanda Bosh, Tomás Cabrera, Jocelyn Reahl, Teaching Assistant Ryuga Hateno, Kishore Patra, Abbie Burrus, Karisa what it’s like to do real research! Zdanky, and Michaye Ledford at Wupatki National Monument. — Jocelyn Reahl, Wellesley College Student 2 THE ISSUEISSUE 104 113 SUMMER SPRING 20182015 Astronomer Michael Mommert Michael Mommert spends a considerable amount of time obtaining observations for his research using Lowell Observatory telescopes at Anderson Mesa. Meet Michael Mommert By Michael Mommert, Astronomer Considering myself a planetary daily basis. The motivation behind both astronomer, I am mostly interested in projects is to enhance the productivity of the physical properties of asteroids and researchers by providing useful software comets. By studying their characteristics, I tools to them that would take weeks- can open a window into the solar system’s to-months to build from scratch. This past and learn about its evolution. One software will especially help students and specific example of my research is the young researchers to get started in their exploration of objects that were long research projects without spending too known as asteroids, but suddenly show much time on writing their own software. comet-like activity. While bodies like these The need for such a software package has initially challenged our view of the solar system, they are now considered to provide been acknowledged by NASA, which is important information on the properties of funding this project. both asteroids and comets—which are not I studied physics and astronomy at that different after all. Heidelberg University and received a Ph.D. For my observational studies, I use a in earth sciences from the Free University wide range of ground-based and space- in Berlin. After enduring the German based observatories. Lowell’s Discovery weather for 31 years, I moved to Flagstaff Channel Telescope has always been an to become a postdoctoral researcher at important asset for my work and will Northern Arizona University, swapping New Pluto Books now become my main workhorse. In the cloudy days for sunny days. My new future, I plan to utilize newly available appointment with Lowell Observatory Three books about Pluto have observatories, including a fleet of small means not only an opportunity to work in just been published: Chasing robotic telescopes, the James Webb Space an excellent research environment, but also New Horizons (Alan Stern and Telescope and the Large Synoptic Survey that my family and I can spend more time David Grinspoon) tells the Telescope in Chile. All these new assets will in beautiful Flagstaff. revolutionize astronomy in different ways In my free time, I enjoy exploring places exciting story of the first mission and require a deep understanding of data near and far, camping under the stars, to Pluto; Discovering Pluto (Dale analysis techniques. hiking in the wilderness, and spending Cruikshank and William Sheehan) Hence, I am also interested in the development of data analysis techniques time with my family. comprehensively covers the history and scientific software that I provide to I look forward to becoming a part of the of Pluto research; (pictured) Pluto the community.